Rotary handle operator for circuit breaker with improved blocking position and latching cover structure



Apnl 11, 1967 D. T. GRAY I 3,313,896

ROTARY HANDLE OPERATOR FOR CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH IMPROVED BLOCKING POSITION AND LATCHING COVER STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 25, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 LJULJ Apnl 11, 1967 D. T..GRAY 3,313,896

ROTARY HANDLE OPERATOR FOR CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH IMPROVED BLOCKING POSITION AND LATCHING COVER STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 25, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4. 42 E341 Apnl 11, 1967 D. T. GRAY 3,

ROTARY HANDLE OPERATOR FOR CIRCUIT BREAKER wxm IMPROVED BLOCKING POSITION AND LATCHING COVER STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 25, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 'EE.5 EI 5.

A nl 11, 1967 oxr. GRAY 3,313,896v

ROTARY HANDLE OPERATOR FOR CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH IMPROVED BLOCKING POSITION AND LATCHING COVER STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 25, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 E zcs-JE'.

INVENTOR. paw/0 I ga /a United States Patent 3,313,896 ROTARY HANDLE OPERATOR FOR CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH IMPROVED BLOCKING POSI- TION AND LATCHING COVER STRUCTURE David T. Gray, Roslyn, Pa., assignor to I-T-E Circuit Breaker Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 530,041 9 Claims. (Cl. 20050) cover. With such a device in the cover open position, the

handle mechanism is completely disconnected from the circuit breaker and because of this the position of the handle mechanism cannot be relied upon as being indicative of Whether the circuit breaker is opened or closed. Further, because the cover mounted handle mechanism may, when the cover is open, assume a different position than the circuit breaker handle it is necessary to provide a costly resilient slam proof means to cushion closing of the cover.

In order to eliminate these undesirable and/or costly features the instant invention provides a construction in which the handle mechanism consists of a front section and a rear section which are constructed to accept an intermediate connecting section which adapts such mechanism for enclosures differing in depth. The rear section is mounted directly to a front surface of the circuit interrupter which is mounted within the enclosure on the rear wall thereof. The front section includes a rotary handle .which extends through an opening in the enclosure cover when the cover is in its closed position so that the handle is operable from outside the enclosure. A defeatable cover interlock is provided to prevent unauthorized persons from opening the enclosure cover when the circuit interrupter is closed. A defeatable switch interlock is provided to prevent accidental closing of the circuit interrupter when the enclosure cover is opened and a vhandle locking means is provided to prevent unauthorized handle operation. The cover and switch interlocks include a common cam operated by the mechanism handle. Accordingly a primary object of the instant invention is to provide a novel construction for a rotary handle mechanism used to operatea circuit interrupter mounted within an enclosure having an openable, cover with this handle mechanism extending outside of the cover.

Another object is to provide a rotary handle mechanism vof this type which will always provide a positive indication of the circuit interrupter operating handle.

Still another object is to provide a handle mechanism of this type having novel constructions for cover and switch interlocks.

Still another object is .to provide a handle mechanism of this type having a novel construction for the rear section thereof which directly engages the circuit interrupter operating handle.

Still another object is to provide a handle mechanism of this type having novel adjustable means constituting aconnecting section between the front and rear sections of the handle mechanism in order to adapt this mechanism for enclosures differing in depth.

of this type having novel means for dust proofing the enclosure.

These objects as well as other objects will become readily apparent after reading the following description of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective showing a circuit interrupter mounted in an enclosure having an openable cover, with a rotary handle mechanism for interrupter operation, constructed in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention but without a connecting section.

FIGURE 2 is an elevation, partially sectioned, showing the rear and intermediate connecting sections of the handle mechanism.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the front section of the handle mechanism.

FIGURE 4 is an elevation of the front section looking in the direction of arrows 4,4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is .a plan view of the front section with the ring assembly, handle and gasket removed to more clearly reveal the elements of the cover and switch interlocks.

FIGURE 6 is an elevation looking in the direction of arrows 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a rear view of the handle ring assembly.

FIGURES 8 and 9 are elevations of the rotary handle and related elements taken through line 8-8 of FIG- U'RE 3 looking in the direction of arrows 8-8. In FIG- URE 8 the handle locking mechanism is inactive while in FIGURE 9 this mechanism is extended to locking position.

FIGURE 10 is a plan view looking at the rear of the 7 rear section.

cuit interrupter 23 mounted to the rear wall 24 of en-.

closure 21 is a multi-pole molded case circuit breaker of a type described in US. PatentNo. 3,155,802 issued November 13, 1964, entitled U-Shaped Cradle for Circuit Breaker, with E. Wortman as inventor.

The rotary handle mechanism of FIGURE 1 includes rear mechanism 25 mounted to the front of circuit interrupter 23 by two screws 26, and front mechanism 30 mounted to the front of rear mechanism 25 by four other screws 27. Cover 22 is provided with a circular aperture 28 which receives handle ring 29 of upper section 30 when cover 22 is closed. Cover 22 in the closed position thereof engages and slightly compresses gasket 31 mounted on the forward surface of plate 32. Cover 22 is prov vided with aperture 28 through which handle ring 29 Still another object is to provide a handle mechanism extends when cover 22 is closed. Rectangular gasket strip 33 mounted on the inside of cover 22 engages the free edges of the enclosure side walls when cover 22 is closed. It should now be apparent that gaskets 31 and 33 constitutes means for dust proofing enclosure 21.

I The depth of enclosure 21 in FIGURE 1 is such that by merely mounting front section 30 directly to rear section 25 when cover 22 is closed it engages gasket .31 of front section 30. However, for the case of a .deeper enclosure (not shown) and a circuit interrupter I no larger than circuit breaker 23 it is necessary to provide connecting section 35 (FIGURE 2) connecting front and rear sections 30, 25 together and positioning gasket 31 forengagement by the enclosure cover. 9

Now referring more particularly to FIGURES 3 through 5, front section 30 of the rotary handle mechanism also includes indicator plate 41 mounted by rivets 42 to the front of an interior ledge of ring 29; Elongated handle 43, having one end formed as a pointer, is positioned in front of plate 41 and is fixedly secured to the square front section 44 of bushing 45 by means of roll pin 46. Square section 44 extends through a central aperture in plate 41 while the larger diameter rear section 44a of bushing 45 is disposed to the rear of plate 41.

Locking slide 47 is mounted to handle 43 and is guided 'for movement along the longitudinal axis thereof by a the end of handle 43 remote from the pointed end thereof.

In order to extend slide 47 it must be aligned with ring notch 48, or ring notch 49 when the frangible section 29a of ring 29 is broken away. With slide 47 extended the shackles of one or more padlocks (not shown) may be inserted into the elongated slot 47b of slide 47 to prevent slide 47 from being moved to its retracted position of FIGURE 8. With slide 47 extended ring 29 blocks rotation of handle 43 and, as will hereinafter become apparent, prevents operation of circuit breaker 23.

Screws extending through clearance apertures 51 (FIG- URE in plate '32 are received by threaded apertures 52 in the rear of ring 29 to secure ring 29 and the elements mounted to plate 32. L-shaped sheet-like member 54 constructed of spring metal is mounted to the rear surface of plate 32 by rivets 55. The end of member 54 remote from rivets 55 carries blocking projection 56 which extends through aperture 57 in plate 32. Pin 58 extends from spring member 54 at a point intermediate the ends thereof through aperture 59 in plate 32, projecting pe'rpendicular'to the plane of member 54. For a reason to be hereinafter explained, when enclosure cover 22 is closed it engages and thereby depresses pin 58 deflecting spring 54 inwardly which in turn moves projection 56 to the rear providing clearance for counterclockwise movement of cam 60.

Cam 60 is keyed to bushing 45 at the rear of enlarged section 44a so that cam 60 is movable by handle 43. However, there is a certain amount of lost motion in the connection between handle 43 and cam 60 in that the inward radial keying extension 99 of cam 60 is not as long angularly as its cooperating keying notch 98 in bushing 45 (see FIGURE 7). 7

Cam 60 includes narrow radial extension 61 which cooperates with blocking projection 56 in a manner to be hereinafter explained in order to prevent closing of circuit breaker 23 when cover 22 is opened. Cam 60 also includes wide radial projection 62 disposed almost 180 from narrow projection 61. Projection 62 extends behind the main section 64 of cover interlock member 65 and is positioned between guide pin 66 and post 67. Pin 66 extends rearwardly from main section 64 and is disposed within elongated slot-68 in plate 32. Post 67 extends forwardly from plate 32 and is provided with an enlarged standoff section 67a adjacent to the forward surface of plate 32 with the narrow portion of post 67 being disposed within open ended slot 64a of latch member 65. It is noted that the portion 66a of pin 66 positioned immediately to the rear of latch member section 64 is of a diameter which is larger than the width of slot 68. Thus, pin portion 66a and post section 67a act to 'mount latch member 64 in spaced relation with respect to the forward surface of plate 32 so as to provide clearance for the movement of cam member 60.

Coiled tension spring 69 is secured at one of. its ends to the forwardly extending ear 71 of latch member 65 and at its other end is secured to post 67 so as to bias latching members 65 against the left end of slot 75, with respect to FIGURE 5, to a latching position. Member 65 may be operated'to unlatching position to the right of that shown in FIGURE 5 by rotating cam member 60 in a clockwise direction with respect to FIGURE 5 so that wide projection 62 engages pin portion 66a. Latch member 65 may also be moved to the right with respect to FIGURE 5 by rotating the defeater member in a clockwise direction so that extension 70a thereof engages pin 72 extending forwardly from latch member section 64. Defeater member 70 includes, at its axis of rotation, slotted portion 70b accessible for engagement by a screw driver or the like insertable through aperture 41a in indicator plate 41. It is noted that aperture 41a is accessible when handle 43 is in the circuit breaker ON position.

Latch member 65 also includes another section 74 disposed at right angles to section 64 and extending through slot 75. Section 74 also extends between the arms of U-shaped bracket 78 secured to the rear surface of plate 32 and cooperates therewith to stabilize and guide movement of latch member 65. The end of section 74 remote from section 64 is sloped and constitutes latching tip 76 which cooperates with bracket 77 carried on the inside of cover 22 to permit closing and latching of cover 22 even when handle 43 is in the circuit breaker ON position.

Assuming for the moment that the position of handle 7 43 in a clockwise direction serves to rotate cam 60 in a clockwise direction into engagement with rearwardly extending pin portion 66a thereby moving latching mem ber 65 to the right with respect to FIGURE 5 to its unlatching position wherein latching tip 76 is clear of bracket 77 thereby permitting cover 22 to be opened.

With handle 43 in circuit breaker OFF position, cam extension 61 is positioned to the left of projection 56 as viewed in FIGURE 5. Since the left end 56a of projection 56 extends substantially at right angles to the path of movement of cam 60, when cover 22 is opened, surface 56a is in the path of movement of cam extension 61 thereby blocking movement of cam 60 in a counterclockwise direction and in so doing preventing the closing of circuit breaker 23.

Projection 56 may be moved from this blocking position by depressing pin 58 either manually or by the clos ing of cover 22. When projection 56 is moved to the rear, or releasing position shown 'in phantom in FIGURE 6, projection 56 is no longer in thepath of cam extension 61 so that cam 60 is free to operate in a counterclockwise direction thereby permitting handle 43 to close circuit breaker 23. It is noted that the sloping surface 56b of projection 56 and the resilient nature of member 54 permits the operation of circuit breaker 23 from ON position to OFF position when cover 22 is open in that clockwise movement of cam 60 from its position shown in FIGURE 5 causes the rounded edge portion 61a of cam extension 61 to engage sloping surface 56b thereby camming projection 56 to the rear.

Connecting section 35 (FIGURE 2) includes-drive rod member 81, exteriorly threaded spacer tube 82, mounting plates 83, 84 having flanges 83a, 84a, respectively, and

- flange member 84 relative to flange 83 is established,

lock nut 86 mounted on the exterior of tube 82 is drawn against flange member 84a. I

Rod 81 is disposed within tube 82 andextends along the axis thereof. Rod 81 is of square cross section with one end thereof received by a complementary aperture 81a (FIGURE 7) at the rear of bushing 45. The other end of rod 81 is entered into a complementary bore 85a of adapter 85-with this bore also receiving'the square are provided with heads so proportioned that they retain plate 83 of connecting section 35 mounted to rear section 25. It is noted that nipples 92 are positioned in what will be termed a square arrangement. The square cross section of rod 81 combined with the square arrangement of mounting nipples 92 permits the angular orientation or indexing of connecting section 35 to be readily changed with respect to rear section 25 in 90 steps thereby providing a significant degree of flexibility insofar as the positioning of circuit breaker 23 within enclosure 21.

Rear section 25 also includes main crank 101 and intermediate crank 102 both mounted between the arms of U- shaped frame 93. Main crank 101 is an enlongated shallow-channel member while intermediate crank 102 is an elongated sheet member having a rearward step at one end thereof. One end of intermediate crank 102 is keyed at 103 to the rear end of bushing 85. The other or rearwardly stepped end of crank 102 is connected by pin 104 to one end of maincrank 101 at slot 105 in crank 101. The cooperation of pin 104 and slot 105 provides a lost motion connection between cranks 101 and 102. The other end of main crank 101 is connected to post 106 fixed to frame 93 and extending parallel to bushing 88 and spaced therefrom. Spring clip 107 retains crank mounted to 101 to post 106 As explained in the J. C. Brumfield. application Ser.

No. 314,226," filed Oct. 7, 1963, now abandoned, en-

titled, Rotary Handle Operator, and assigned to the assignee of the instant invention, rotation of rear bushing 88 in a clockwise direction with respect to FIGURE rotates pin 104 in a clockwise direction carrying along the free end of main crank 101. Thus, crank 101 moves in a clockwise direction about post 106 as a'stationary pivot.

The portion of main crank 101 between post 106 and slide 105 is provided with aperture 108 which receives the operating handle 23a of circuit breaker 23. Screws 26 extending. through frame apertures 112 fixedly mount rear section 25 to the front surface of circuit breaker 23 in operative position such that handle 23a is engaged by tang 116 for closing of circuit breaker 23. I

It is noted that circuit breaker handle 23a is mounted for pivotal movement about an axis extending normal to the axis provided by post 106 for main crank 101. While handle 23a is actually pivoted about an axis parallel to the forward surface of frame 93, the angular motion of handle 23a is so limited that those skilled in the art consider motion of handle 23a to be linear. Rear section 25 converts the rotary motion of operating handle 43 into the so-called linear motion required to operate circuit breaker handle 23a. In order to obtain the best mechanical advantage the surface of car 115 which engages handle 23a is convex being curved about an axis which is oblique with respect to the plane of motion of main crank 101 so as to extend over handle receiving aperture 108 and towards handle 23a. This construction of ear 115 eliminates sharp corners in contact with handle 23a to minimize friction therebetween for ease of circuit breaker operation and also to engage the extreme forward end of circuit breaker handle 23a to obtain the greatest mechanical advantage.

It is noted that both frame 93 and front plate 84 are provided with appropriately shaped cutouts 191, 192, respectively (FIGURE 12) to provide clearances for 6 operation cover latch 65 and spring 54 of the circuit breaker interlock depending upon whether front section 30 is mounted directly to front plate 32 or frame 93. It is also noted that for a given installation requiring a connecting section 35, rod 81 and tube 82 must each be cut to required length.

Thus, it is seen that the instant invention provides a novel construction for a handle mechanism used to operate a circuit breaker mounted within an enclosure having an openable cover with the handle mechanism being operable from outside the enclosure.

Although there has been described a preferred embodiment of this novel invention, many variations and modifications will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is to be limited, not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appending claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege or property is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination, an enclosure having a first side' normally closed by an openable front cover, a circuit interrupter within said enclosure and having a handle disposed entirely within said enclosure; a mechanism separate from said cover and connected to said handle for manually operating said circuit interrupter from a point outside of said enclosure and in front of said cover; said mechanism including an operating handle, means rotatably mounting said operating handle for movement in a plane generally parallel to said cover in its closed position; said cover having an aperture to receive said handle as said cover moves from its open to its said closed position, a first element biased to cover latching position for maintaining said cover closed, a second element biased to blocking position, cam means operable by said handle to move said first element to cover releasing position, said cam means and said second element in said blocking position cooperating to prevent operation of said operating handle to close said circuit interrupter when front cover is open; depressible means operable by said cover upon closing thereof to move said second element from said blocking position to a retracted position wherein said operating handle may be operated to close said circuit interrupter. v

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said depressible means is accessible for manual operation when said cover is open; defeater means accessible when said circuit interrupter is closed for operation outside of said enclosure to move said first element to said cover releasing position. a

3. The combination of claim 1 in which the mechanism also includes a plate positioned parallel to said cover in its closed position; said operating handle, said first and said second element mounted to said plate; said second element and said depressible' means projecting for ward of said plate when said second element is in said blocking position; said second element moving rearwardly when said depressible member is operated by said door.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which the mechanism also includes a gasket mounted to said plate on its front surface; said gasket positioned to be engaged and thereby compressed by portions of said cover bounding said aperture when said cover is closed.

5. The combination of claim 3 in which the mechanism also includes means guiding movement of said first element in a plane parallel to said plate.

6. In combination, an enclosure having a first side normally closed by an openable front cover, a circuit interrupter within said enclosure and having a handle disposed entirely within said enclosure; a mechanism sepa rate from said cover and connected to said handle for manually operating said circuit interrupter from a point outside of said enclosure and in front of said cover; said mechanism including an operating handle, means rotatably mounting said operating handle for movement in a plane generally parallel to said cover in its closed position; said cover having an aperture to receive said handle as said cover moves from its open to its said closed position, a first element biased to cover latching position for maintaining said cover closed, a second element biased to blocking position, cam means operable by said handle to move said first element to cover releasing position, said cam means and said second element in said blocking position cooperating to prevent operation of said operating handle to close said circuit interrupter when front cover is open; the cam means is a single rotatable memher having afirst and a second radial projection for operation of, said first and second elements, respectively.

7. In combination, an enclosure having a first side normally closed by an openable front cover, a circuit interrupter within said enclosure and having a handle disposed entirely within said enclosure; a mechanism separate from said cover and connected to said handle for manually operating said circuit interrupter from a point outside of said enclosure and in front of said cover; said mechanism including an operating handle, means rotatably mounting said operating handle for movement in a plane generally parallel to said cover in its closed position; said cover having an aperture to receive said handle as said cover moves from its open to its said closed position, a first element biased to cover latching position for maintaining said cover closed, a second element biased to blocking position, cam means operable by said handle to move said first element to cover releasing position, said cam means and said second element in said blocking position cooperating to prevent operation of said operating handle to close said circuit interrupter when front cover is open; a handle locking means including an extendable member mounted to said operating handle, and a fixed means cooperable with said extendable member upon extension thereof to prevent operation of said handle; said extendable member including a formation positioned to receive a plurality of locks when said extendable member is extended; said extendable member cooperating with said fixed means to prevent retracting of said extendable member when a lock is inside of said formation.

8. In combination, an enclosure having a first side i normally closed by an openable front cover, a circuit interrupter within said enclosure'and' having a handle disposed entirely within said enclosure; a mechanism separate from said cover. and connected to said handle for manually operating said circuit interrupter from a point outside'of said enclosure and in front of said cover; said mechanism including an operating handle, means rotatably mounting said operating handle for movement in a plane generally parallel to said cover in its closed position; said cover having an aperture to receive said handle as said cover moves from its open to its said closed position, a first element biased to cover latching position for maintaining said cover closed, a second element biased to blocking position, cam means operable by said handle to move said first element to cover releasing position, said cam means and said second element in said blocking position cooperating to prevent operation of said operating handle to close said circuit interrupter when front cover is open; the means rotatably'mounting said operating handle is a bearing member, said cam means mounted to said bearing member, said bearing member including a formation in interlocking driving engagement with another member operatively interposed between said bearing member and said handle of said circuit interrupter.

9. The combination of claim 7 in which the means ro- 1 tatably mounting said operating handle is a bearing memher; said cam means mounted to said bearing member, said bearing member including a formation in interlocking driving engagement with another member operatively interposed between said bearing member and said handle of said circuit interrupter, said bearing member including another formation guiding said extendable member for radial movement.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,890,302 6/1959 De Benedictis 200 3,155,802 11/1964 Wortmann 200153 3,171,908 3/1965 Malota 20050 ROBERT KQSCHAEFER, Primary Examiner.

J. R. SCOTT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, AN ENCLOSURE HAVING A FIRST SIDE NORMALLY CLOSED BY AN OPENABLE FRONT COVER, A CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE AND HAVING A HANDLE DISPOSED ENTIRELY WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE; A MECHANISM SEPARATE FROM SAID COVER AND CONNECTED TO SAID HANDLE FOR MANUALLY OPERATING SAID CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER FROM A POINT OUTSIDE OF SAID ENCLOSURE AND IN FRONT OF SAID COVER; SAID MECHANISM INCLUDING AN OPERATING HANDLE, MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID OPERATING HANDLE FOR MOVEMENT IN A PLANE GENERALLY PARALLEL TO SAID COVER IN ITS CLOSED POSITION; SAID COVER HAVING AN APERTURE TO RECEIVE SAID HANDLE AS SAID COVER MOVES FROM ITS OPEN TO ITS SAID CLOSED POSITION, A FIRST ELEMENT BIASED TO COVER LATCHING POSITION FOR MAINTAINING SAID COVER CLOSED, A SECOND ELEMENT BIASED TO BLOCKING POSITION, CAM MEANS OPERABLE BY SAID HANDLE TO MOVE SAID FIRST ELEMENT TO COVER RELEASING POSITION, SAID CAM MEANS AND SAID SECOND ELEMENT IN SAID BLOCKING POSITION COOPERATING TO PREVENT OPERATION OF SAID OPERATING HANDLE TO CLOSE SAID CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER WHEN FRONT COVER IS OPEN; DEPRESSIBLE MEANS OPERABLE BY SAID COVER UPON CLOSING THEREOF TO MOVE SAID SECOND ELEMENT FROM SAID BLOCKING POSITION TO A RETRACTED POSITION WHEREIN SAID OPERATING HANDLE MAY BE OPERATED TO CLOSE SAID CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER. 